tejina akai
by hobbsey
Summary: "if i can't see, then mother says i'm not worth anything." the beginning of rezo's futile quest.
1. Chapter One: The Visit

Tejina Akai

Tejina Akai

He turned around slowly; fearing that someone might be following him. His robes billowed slightly in the breeze as he snapped his fingers, causing a light to appear in his palm and, on signal, it drifted slightly upward. Not that it would help the darkness. 'Ah, well,' he thought, 'I've grown accustomed to it anyway.' 

He climbed the spiral staircase with practiced ease, reaching his chamber. Although furniture was sparse, it still provided an aura of comfort. He sunk involuntarily into the chair, picking up an especially large volume of something. He opened the page and began to read. 'Interesting…' he commented vaguely as he turned the page, 'Unexpectedly serene…'

There was a sharp rap on the door. "Yes…?" he called as it opened a crack. 

"You have visitors, Master."

"Tell them I shall be down as soon as possible. I am busy."

The servant didn't bother wondering what he was up to- it was best in this case to keep her nose out of his business. She climbed down the stairway towards the front entrance, noting that the candle she'd lit earlier to shatter the darkness was dying. It was always dark, he didn't know.

She reached the doorway and opened it, letting a small family in from the storm. 'He will be with you as soon as he is done his work. For now, I will light a candle and you can make yourself at home.' She bent over to get a match, and the mother stepped in.

There were two children with her, a young male and a teenage female. The girl looked around in awe at the size of the place- to think that this was just one of his many households! There was a large mural on the far wall of two dragons engaged in a war. "Come on, Rezo, let's go see the painting!"

The little boy stuck close to his mother. He jumped when his sister called. "What picture, Kieris? There is a picture?'"

"Yes! You would like it! Come here!"

Rezo stepped carefully in his sister's direction, using a small walking stick to make sure he didn't bump into anything. "Where is the picture?"

"Right here." Kieris took Rezo's hand and ran it over the surface of the wood so he could feel the grooves. 

"I still don't know what it is."

Kieris laughed. "It's Ciepheed and Shabranigdo in the war. They're fighting."

"Why would I like fighting?"

Kieris was cut short by the appearance of a figure in the doorway. The servant glanced up. "It seems Master Talinis has finished with his work."

The mother gazed at the Talinis as if in a dream. "Come right this way," he said, and smiled.

They walked quite a ways before he stopped in front of a doorway. "Now, what is it you need to see me about?"

Rezo stepped up before his mother could even speak. "It's me, Mister Talinis. I can't see and Mommy thought you might be able to help me."

Talinis smiled. "I hate the darkness, too. Come in here and I'll see what I can do."

"No! I have to go in with him!" the mother called, "He is too young!"

"You would see the way. This is why I take only the boy. He will see only the way back- if at all. Now, little boy, say goodbye to your mother and your sister."

"Forever?"

Talinis laughed. "No! Only for a little while."

"Oh…! 'Bye, Mommy. 'Bye, Kieris!"

Talinis took his hand and opened the door. Inside was a maze, a riddle of corridors. "Now then little boy, what is your name?"

"My name is Rezo, Mister Talinis."

"A fine name, too. You said you were blind."

"I can't see, Mister Talinis. Mommy gets worried. She says I can't magic things if I can't see."

"I do sense a great deal of magical power in you, Rezo. But your mother does not know that eyes cannot seal in the talent. I would be happy to have someone such as you to study with me."

"And there's something else."

Talinis was taken aback by the seriousness of the boy's tone. "Yes?"

"Sometimes I remember things I never went through. It's raining and there's a big dragon who's sending white stuff at me. I think that its magics, but I'm not sure. And I fall and he comes up and then it stops."

Talinis had finished navigating the maze. He opened a large brass door. "You say there is a dragon."

"Yes. There's a big white dragon. I don't know what white is, but I can tell its white. And he sends magics at me, but I don't scream. I'd scream now. And I guess I send weird stuff at him. Maybe its magics too. I don't know. And his magics hits me and I fall. And he comes up and his aura says he's happy. And then it stops. Can we not talk about it?"

Talinis sunk into a chair and sighed. He closed his eyes and clenched his fists. "That says you have a lot of magical power in you. Can you read an astral plane?"

"What's that?"

"Never mind. Let's try to make you see. Come here."

Rezo stepped closer. "Do you want me to put down my stick?"

"Yes. Now be still. This shouldn't hurt at all."

He knelt before the tiny child and muttered something under his breath. A spark of white appeared between his fingers, and he touched it to Rezo's forehead. "Now… open… your… eyes, Rezo."

Rezo tried. "I… I can't! I never will be able to!" He pulled away from Talinis as if he was a demon.

"I'm sorry, Rezo. However, I can try to make it so you are able to use your magic. It may take years, and you will have to stay here."

"I'd love to be able to magic like Kieris. But Mommy says if I can't see I am not her son or a magic-user. She says that if you can't make me see she will leave me forever. It's not fair! I hate my eyes! Why can everyone else be seeing but me?"

Rezo began to cry tears of frustration. "Now, Rezo, little boy, you aren't any less of a person because of your eyes. You have been given a gift. Although all that you might see right now is the bad about you, there is a lot of good you can do. Now, try this and then tell me that you can't use magic if you're blind."

Rezo wiped his tears. "I'll try, Mister Talinis, I'll try."

"Raise your hand in front of you, like this."

He raised his hand up to the level of his face.

"Now, repeat after me. Source of life that burns so bright…"

"Source of life that burns so bright"

"Gather in my hand your light."

"Gather in my hand your light."

A flicker of light appeared in Rezo's palm. "There's light there! I can tell cause it's warm now!"

"Yes. Now pretend to toss it into the air. You should light the room up."

Rezo 'tossed' the sphere of light in the air. It hung there, suspended.

"You just used magic. That was a light spell."

They arrived back in the common room, an anxious mother and Kieris waiting for Rezo's return. "Can you see, darling?" the mother said.

"No, Mommy. But I can magic. Mister Talinis taught me how."

"Let's go home. Come Kieris. Thank you, Sir, for trying."

Talinis looked at the three figures leaving into the storm, and thought about what Rezo had said. What would happen to the little boy? Would his mother exile him?

He turned and went up the staircase, only now noticing that Rezo had forgotten his walking stick.


	2. Chapter Two: The Abandoning

Tejina Akai: Chapter One

Tejina Akai: Chapter One

In the market outside of town, the family walked back to their household. The mother turned to Rezo. "You do remember what I told you on the way there."

"Yes, Mommy. I'm not anybody anymore because I can't see."

Kieris didn't want to see her little brother suffer like this. "Mother, you can't just leave him here, alone! He could die with no one to provide for him!"

"Our family honor is at stake, Kieris. Either** we** are exiled, or we get rid of Rezo. It is your choice."

"Kieris, just leave me here. I don't want you and Mommy to be sad. Maybe I can go back to Mister Talinis and he'll take me in and I can study magics. But maybe not. Who knows? I don't, you don't, and Mommy doesn't either. But this is prob'ly my destiny. Yours is just… somewhere else. I'll miss you both lots, but I'm sure I can get by."

Kieris knelt down by her little brother and hugged him close. "We'll see each other again someday, I promise, Rezo. Whether or not you're right… and I'll still worry about you. If you get to Sir Talinis, just give us a sign somehow. Like a light spell like Father used to do when he'd make the whole sky light up. I'll miss you, little buddy…"

Rezo smiled at her. His sealed eyes stayed dry. He patted her shoulder and left, his tiny red cape billowing in the breeze. "I'll miss you, too Kieris," he called back, "Take care."

Kieris turned to her mother, seething. "Why… how could you do that? Even I can sense he's got great potential! A real mother can never let her children go, no matter what their handicap."

"He couldn't see. I know what's going to become of that child if no one can open his eyes, and it's nothing we want to befall. That Talinis will train him, all right, and very well too. Rezo will gain great respect throughout the land, most likely. Then something terrible will happen after an extremely long lifetime… something not even I can decipher. And it can't be good."

"Maybe our keeping him would have prevented that."

"I doubt it. Come, Kieris, we have to go home now. Forget about Rezo, just like I have. You've no idea how hard that was- seeing my youngest child walk off without even a goodbye."

Rezo continued walking toward Talinis' dwelling. He couldn't remember the way there- after all, he'd never seen it, but he was pretty sure. There was a house nearby- he could sense it- maybe he should ask the way there.

He went up to knock on the door. "Yes?" the voice from inside said. It sounded like an old woman- or perhaps middle-aged. 

"I need to know the way somewhere. I lost my way."

She opened the door. "Oh! You poor dear! All alone?"

"Yes, ma'am. My family exiled me because I can't see anything."

"Step in. It's getting late- you can stay the night here with Lillian and Fahr and I. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you ma'am. My name is Rezo." He stepped in the house. "Hello."

"Where was it you were going, Rezo?"

"To Mister Talinis's house. He said he'd be glad to tutor someone like me when he tried to get rid of the dark."

"Oh, I see!"

Rezo shivered. "It's dark in here, isn't it? I can tell because it's cold."

"Yes. Our only candle ran out a long time ago."

"I hate the dark. Here, let me make it light for you.

_Source of life that shines so bright_

Gather in my hand your light."

A brilliant white ball sparkled in his hand. He tossed it in the air with a nod. "It should be light now."

Two children, a boy and a girl, came out of the adjourning room. "It's light, Mommy! It's light!" the girl called. Her long blonde hair sparkled.

"Wow… did the kid with the funny hair do that?" The boy pointed to Rezo.

"My hair looks funny?" Rezo said.

"Yup. It sticks out weird."

"I'm sorry. I can't see it."

"Why don't you open your eyes?" Rezo just stayed very still. "WHY DON'T YOU OPEN YOUR EYES?"

He twitched. "Oh! I'm sorry. I just saw the dragons again."

With the children and Rezo safely asleep, the mother sat in the light Rezo had created and contemplated. What was it her mother had said long ago? Wasn't it something like _'Those who see visions- memories not their own- and who live in darkness shalt not walk down the eastward path'_?

Who knows? Oh well…this kid doesn't sound too bad. What could be wrong with him?

The next morning, Rezo was first up. "I didn't want to bother you, ma'am, so I'll just leave now if you tell me which way to go."

"No! You said last night you were 'seeing the dragons again'. What did you mean by that?"

"I'd rather not say, if you don't mind. It's rather irrelevant. I just see… dragons. They're battling. I can't… say… much else. I don't SEE them, just… I know what's happening. Like being able to see without seeing… you know…?"

The mother just stared. This wasn't an ordinary child.

"Can you please show me the way to Mister Talinis' house? Please? I can get the light to last longer… maybe forever once I'm trained. I promise you I will come back, one day… someday."

"It's right this way, child. Right this way, to the east."

Rezo continued walking. It was a long journey- he was very grateful for the provisions the woman had given him. He opened his small satchel- inside was bread and a jug of water. He tore off a small piece of the bread and ate it as he walked.

It was three days until he reached Talinis' tower. It was raining and he was very hungry… the bread and water had been gone the first day. Wet and cold, he knocked on the door shyly. The large brass knocker made a loud clanging noise as the rain kept falling down.

Talinis was up in his study. The last days had not been peaceful- he had been withdrawn and moody due to his first meeting with the boy. What was it with him? Although it was obvious he had superior magical potential, there was also some reason… something… that made Talinis even possibly… fear this young boy. And his dragons, most likely. Dragons seen by a blind child…? It made no sense.

"Master Talinis," a servant called, "There is someone here to see you. He says it is all right if you are busy, he will wait."

Talinis rubbed his head- he had a migraine from too much thinking. "Send him up here. I'm not in the mood to walk down the stairs today."

"Yes, sir," the servant said and headed downstairs.

Less than a minute later, the servant returned to a tired Talinis. "Here is the boy… although what he wants is beyond me."

"Hello Mister Talinis," Rezo said, "You might not remember me, but I was here a few days ago."

"Rezo! Is that you? You're so dirty I hardly recognize you!" Talinis waved away the servant, "You may leave now, John."

John left, leaving Rezo and Talinis alone.

"So," Talinis began, breaking the silence, "I take it your mother's threat was true. You…"

"I have no family, Mister Talinis. Only Kieris wants anything to do with me… and the old lady. But that's beside the point. I came here because I want you to teach me magics."

Talinis was taken aback. The boy had seemed to have grown ten years in four days! Only the use of the word 'magics' kept his innocent air about him. "I see. Well, Rezo, I would be glad to take you in. However… you will have to dress like a mage. These clothes are too old and ragged. Here- I will give you some robes and you can change."

Talinis gave Rezo the clothing and left the room. Rezo felt the robes with his fingertips- they were made of silk. Very fancy for an apprentice, he thought, but he supposed that if this was what Talinis wanted him to wear…

"You can come in now, Mister Talinis," Talinis came in the room, "What _color_ are these?"

Talinis smiled. He'd almost forgotten Rezo was blind. "They are red, Rezo. Crimson. The color of…"

"Kieris always said that red was both hate and love. How is that?"

Talinis shook his head. "Red is many things, child. But now we must learn magic. Sorcery, the art of both clerics and sorcerers. Both evil and good use magic, Rezo, and you must learn to use it for the good of all. That is the importance, more so than being able to use it. Are you ready to learn?"

"Yes, Mister Talinis. But first can we go down to the mural?" 

"Of course, Rezo. I will explain everything to you."

To any bystander, it would have been a very touching scene- a young boy and a middle-aged man, standing together by the mural. Talinis slowly traced Rezo's hand over the figures, explaining to him what the mural conveyed, and in it a legend.

"Rezo, this is Ciepheed," he said slowly, "The dragon King. Long ago, at the edges of the world, Ciepheed worked his very hardest to seal an great evil in the earth."

"Who was that, Master Talinis?"

Talinis moved the boy's hand to a much more severe figure. "This is Shabranigdo, Dark Lord of all the mazoku and controller of the negative forces of the earth. Ciepheed and Shabranigdo fought for ten hundred years."

"Didn't they get tired?"

Talinis laughed. "Of course not. They were the most powerful beings on earth. Anyway, they fought for ten hundred years. It appeared Shabranigdo had beaten Ciepheed when Ciepheed launched one final strike- and managed to split Shabranigdo into seven pieces."

"Didn't that hurt?"

"Let me finish, Rezo. It took the last of Ciepheed's strength to defeat Shabranigdo, and he died. However, as I said, Shabranigdo was not defeated completely. Legends say once every thousand years, Shabranigdo is reborn into a man's body. Ciepheed's chosen warriors must fight very hard to defeat him and re-seal him into the earth, or Shabranigdo will end it. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, Master Talinis…" Rezo turned his head to face Talinis, "So the battle will never end until someone truly defeats Shabranigdo?"

"That's right."

"Then I want to be the person who does it. I understand the dragons now, and I have to kill the bad one…"

Talinis shook his head. "None of the Four Wise Men have been able to even think of a way. I doubt you shall ever become powerful enough."

But one look at the boy told Talinis his words were in vain. A grim resolve had gripped Rezo, and there might never be a way to shake it off.


End file.
